The present invention relates to transmitting information from one location in a structure to one or more remote locations in a structure without using conventional transmission media such as electrical conductors, microwaves, etc.
It is often desirable to avoid conventional electrical transmission between a signal source and receiver. For example, it is highly desirable to arm and disarm a warhead-carrying missile by command signals without breaching the missile's skin to allow entrance of electrical conductors. In addition, it is desirable to control bomb fuzes without passing current near explosive material.
Although the invention hereinafter described relates primarily to arming and disarming a missile, it is to be understood that the utility of the invention is not so limited.
It is an object of the present invention to transmit control information from one location in a structure to one or more remote locations in that structure without using conventional transmission media but instead using the structure itself for transmission purposes.
The closest prior art known to applicants is U.S. Pat. No. 3,343,492 to Kritz. In that patent, command signals in the form of ultrasonic vibrations are transmitted through a missile's metal shield. It is important to note in Kritz that the electrical-to-mechanical transducer for the transmitter must be on the opposite side of the shield from the mechanical-to-electrical transducer for the receiver. In other words, the ultrasonic vibration used for transmission is in the thickness mode, through the shield, normal to the shield surface. The limiting factor here, and this is quite clear in Kritz, is that only one receiver can be used for each transmitter.
It is another object of the present invention to transmit control signals in the form of ultrasonic vibrations from one location in a structure to one or more remote locations in that structure.